South Sydney Rabbitohs vs North Queensland Cowboys – Friday night – ANZ Stadium

Australia’s largest metropolis might be a little overwhelming for the boys from Townsville. This season they have travelled to Sydney on six occasions for one solitary win over the Sharks. What makes that statistic all the more remarkable is their away record at anywhere but Sydney – four games for four wins. The Cowboys may not like Sydney, but they don’t like South Sydney either. The Rabbits have won five of their last six clashes and the Cowboys haven’t beaten the Bunnies in Sydney since 2006. So the visitors are up against it a little on Friday night, particularly given the form and confidence the Bunnies have shown us over the last three weeks. The Cowboys aren’t going to lie down without a fight and I can see their left edge causing some problems (consider Tonga and Faifai Loa as first try-scorers if you are keen on a punt). Still, the Rabbits have all the momentum right now and I think they’ll find themselves in front when it matters.

Verdict – Rabbitohs

Result - Rabbitohs 26 defeated Cowboys 24

Melbourne Storm vs St George Illawarra Dragons – Friday night – AAMI Park

The Dragons haven’t beaten the Storm in Melbourne this century, and their form over the last month doesn’t suggest they can win this Friday night either. With only two wins since round 12 the Dragons premiership hopes are all but extinguished. If Wayne Bennett doesn’t know what’s going on I doubt I can explain it either. There is one thing I can be certain of – a repeat of their performance against the Roosters on Sunday and the Storm will win this game in a canter. The injury to Cooper Cronk is a significant blow for Melbourne but Gareth Widdop is no slouch, and Cameron Smith is a virtual halfback playing from dummy-half anyway. Billy Slater plays his 200^th NRL game on Friday night and the Storm are chasing their longest sequence of wins (13) in the history of their club. Melbourne have scored more points and conceded fewer points than every club in the competition, and a win on Friday night should ensure them the 2011 minor premiership. It looks like a good night for the purple people. I can only imagine one result.

Verdict – Storm

Result - Storm 8 defeated Dragons 6

Gold Coast Titans vs Canberra Raiders – Saturday night – Skilled Park

Put your hand up if you thought the Titans and Raiders would be 16^th and 14^th at the business end of the season. Now put your hand down if you are lying. Look Mum! No hands. There was a time when you could set your watch to a golden rule of footy tipping – when these sides meet you tip the home side every single time. Then they met earlier this year in Canberra, and the Raiders found a way to lose a game they should never have lost. But rules are rules. I tipped the Eels to run last this season and by crikey the Titans have an opportunity to drag themselves off the bottom rung of the ladder. Not likely to be the game of the season (thanks for that Captain Obvious!).

Verdict – Titans

Result - Titans 26 defeated Raiders 18

Sydney Roosters vs Cronulla Sharks – Saturday night – Sydney Football Stadium

Two teams stuck in limbo-land for the rest of the season. Neither side can make the top eight and neither side is in danger of running last. The Sharks season appears to have come to a grinding halt – five losses in a row (and three of those at home) have me thinking that the Sharks have put their collective cues in their collective racks. Meanwhile the Roosters have won two of their last three – and those wins were against teams that recently beat the Sharks. The Chickens are a week to week proposition, but let’s assume they’ll take some confidence into this game after their rousing victory over the Dragons.

Verdict – Roosters

Result - Roosters 36 defeated Sharks 25

Penrith Panthers vs New Zealand Warriors – Saturday night – Centrebet Stadium

The Panthers have lost five of their last six, and their only win was that fortuitous last-gasp victory over the lowly Eels. They have little left to play for. Compare that to the Warriors, who take to the field after the two teams above them on the ladder have already played their games for the round. If the Cowboys lose to the Rabbitohs (fairly likely) and the Dragons lose to the Storm (almost certainly) the Warriors can move into the top four with a win over the Panthers. That should be all the motivation they need.

Verdict – Warriors

Result - Warriors 26 defeated Panthers 12

Manly Sea Eagles vs Canterbury Bulldogs – Sunday afternoon – Brookvale Oval

If the Bulldogs are going to keep their season alive they’ll need to win where so many others have lost before them. The Sea Eagles haven’t lost a game at Brookvale this year and they haven’t lost a Sunday afternoon game this year. They didn’t lose to the Bulldogs this year either – these sides met back in round 13 and the Sea Eagles notched up a convincing 38-4 victory. The Dogs edged out the Sharks on Monday night but beating the Sea Eagles at Brookvale on a Sunday is an entirely different proposition.

Verdict – Sea Eagles

Result - Sea Eagles 27 defeated Bulldogs 16

Wests Tigers vs Parramatta Eels – Sunday afternoon – Sydney Football Stadium

The Tigers have won five in a row. The Eels have lost five in a row. The last time the Tigers lost and the Eels won was (drum roll) when the Tigers played the Eels in round 18. How very nifty. Parramatta are one side that troubles the Tigers, but given current form and circumstances only the most deluded of Eels fans would be heading to the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday with any level of confidence. The Eels have played three day games this year – they did beat the Titans narrowly in one of those, but the other two games (a 38-0 loss to Melbourne and a 30-0 loss to the Dragons) might be a more accurate indication of their prospects.

Verdict – Tigers

Result - Tigers 31 defeated Eels 12

Newcastle Knights vs Brisbane Broncos – Monday night – Ausgrid Stadium

If the Broncos are going to lose another game leading into the finals then this is the game they will lose. Hannant and Yow Yeh remain on the sideline and they face a side with a pretty good record against them. The Knights also have everything to play for – they’re hanging onto 8^th place but the Bunnies have them in their sights. Newcastle simply need to keep winning, otherwise their final round clash with the Bunnies takes on epic proportions. Their recent form is strong and their recent form at home is very strong, albeit against much weaker opposition than the Broncos. All things being equal the Broncos should win, but I’m taking a punt that they may take the foot off the accelerator a little on Monday night. The Knights don’t have that luxury and I think desperation can get them over the line.

Verdict – Knights

Result - Broncos 26 defeated Knights 6

Wally Lewis - round twenty-four selections (in bold)

Note: tips from Wally will be published on Thursday night or early Friday morning.

• RABBITOHS vs Cowboys
• Storm vs DRAGONS
• Titans vs RAIDERS
• ROOSTERS vs Sharks
• Panthers vs WARRIORS
• SEA EAGLES vs Bulldogs
• TIGERS vs Eels
• Knights vs BRONCOS